Clark Lea updates Vanderbilt injuries entering season opener

Vanderbilt is just a couple of days away from its season opener against Virginia Tech. Ahead of the SEC vs. ACC matchup, head coach Clark Lea provided an update on injuries Commodores players are dealing with.

Lea revealed that a couple of players in particular don’t necessarily have long-term injuries but could be out against the Hokies.

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“A couple of soft tissue issues that are coming up,” Clark Lea said. “Dariyan Wiley obviously still working back from a hamstring. He’ll be questionable. He’s still on a load management. I think other than that, [Maurice] Hampton also recovering from a hamstring.”

Wiley is a graduate player for Vanderbilt who transferred in from Louisiana-Monroe this offseason. Hampton previously played at LSU, before transferring to Vandy.

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Other than that, the Commodores seem to be pretty healthy.

“You know, the rest of the guys, there’s a couple of guys that have been able to work back that should be available,” Lea said. “And then the long-term injury guys are long-term injury guys. So that’s kind of the latest on that.”

As for the long-term injuries Vanderbilt is dealing with, Lea previously spoke about those.

“We have Brycen Coleman who had a clavicle fracture,” Clark Lea said. “He’s gonna be out for the time being but we will get him back. Obviously, Mark Davis who is back around the team, which has been great to see him. He’s gonna be out for the season.”

Brycen Coleman is a tight end in his freshman season. He came to Vanderbilt as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He was also the 38th-ranked tight end in that cycle. Then, Mark Davis is a graduate defensive back. He previously played at Buffalo and Southern Illinois and had three interceptions last season.

Beyond those two, Clark Lea shared that junior offensive lineman Grayson Morgan and freshman offensive lineman CJ Williams are also both going to be out for an extended period, a hit to the team’s depth this season.

“We have a couple soft tissue issues that are still rehabbing back,” Lea said. “Grayson Morgan is just dealing with a back issue that’s gonna keep him out for a month or two. CJ Williams, the ankle fracture. We talked about that. Out for the season.”

Beyond those four injuries, Clark Lea shared that the team is mostly healthy going into the season.

“The rest of it, honestly, is some wear and tear. But we’re in a good place. I feel that’s a credit to Coach [Robert] Stiner and his staff, and the training from the winter, the offseason, and the summer,” Lea said. “Obviously, a compliment to Ray [Lysinger] and our training staff. I feel good about where we are in terms of our health. We made it through camp relatively healthy. So, onward and upward.”